The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-02-19

|
I'll marriages, which requirement will
ne easy of compliance, and not help the
ring in the least.
The bill repeats Territorial laws pro-
viding for numbering or Identifying
the votes of electors, but there are no
such laws, and haven't been for a
lecade
The bill deprives probate courts
of all except probate jurisdic-
ton, and of other powers than those in
respect of deceased persons, in respect
of the guardianship of minors and in
sane persons. This was done thirteen
years ago by Congress.
Incest is defined and made punish
able, marriage being prohibited between
parties within the fourth degree of
consanguinity. No objection can be
raised to this.
Adultery is made punishable by three
years Imprisonment. This is assuredly
a great victory for the Mormons. Tucker
and the Loyal League wanted the crime
made punishable by imprisonment fer
hree months.
The law in regard to polygamy and
unlawful cohabitation remains IN
changed, the penalties provided being
respectively FIVE years imprisonment
and $500 fine, and six months imprison-
ment and $500 fine.
Legitimate children are deprived of
their right to inherit their fathers es-
tate, but this Will amount to nothing as
testators can distribute their property
as they please.
The repeal of the Territorial acts in
cooperating the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-dly Saints and the Perpetual
Emigrating Fund Company can cut little
or no figure 10 the mac agement of the af-
fairs of the interpretations. The property
allowed to religious societies is sufficient
for the needs of these societies, and is
grea ly in excess of the present pos
sessions of the various churches. The
churches have the right to name the
trustees of their respective societies.
The repeal of the Territorial laws in
reference to the militia. is a waste of
words, as there is no militia in the Ter
ritory, and has been none for many
years.
The repeal of the laws granting
water, timber or herd rights on the
public domain, is unnecessary, as there
are no such valid, operative laws in
the books, and nobody is enjoying
any of the privileges here mentioned.
The right of dover is conferred on the
widow, and very properly, but this will
not in the least change matters as to
the distribution of estates.
The Utah Commission is to redistrict
the Territory for members of the Legis-
lature, which will amount to nothing.
The registration and election laws re-
main unchanged, with the exception of
an addition being made to the oath, to
the effect that the citizen will not VIC
late the Edmunds act or this bill. There
can derive a crumb of comfort.
The Supreme Court is given power to
appoint commissioner of education,
in place of the present Superintendent
of District Schools, which Office is abol-
ished. This will hurt nobody, nor will
it help anybody.
There is just one triumph in the bill
for the fellows who have brought this
legislation about, and that is the repeal
of the woman suffrage law. The effect
of this will simply be to deprive the
women of the privilege of voting; it will
not change an election result in more
than two if in more than one county in
the Territory, as the Peoples party
majority is so large that its tickets can
be elected without the votes of the
women of the party.
Altogether THE HERALD considers the
bill very great triumph for the people
OF Utah, and an inglorious defeat for
the anti Mormon clique. True, the
measure is harsh and unjust, aud is
violative Of the theory and practice of
republican government in many res
poets; but it has been so modified since
it passed the House, has been shorn of
so many of its worst features, that as
one compares the measure as it now
stands with the bill which the ring
wanted, ne must concede that the vic
tory is with the people and the defeat
with the ring.
Even if the bill shall become law, it
will work few, if any, changes in Utah.
The people will still hold their own, and
retain control of their treasures.